On my first day as executive director of Great Peninsula Conservancy in February 2008, I knew I had found my dream job. Now I could direct my lifelong passion for nature, expertise in wildlife ecology and nonprofit management, and hard-earned skills in fundraising, program development, and team building toward saving lands close to home. What…
Guest Blog: Spring Reminds Us
Spring, that wonderful time of year when skies are often blue, trees leaf, flowers appear, birds and other fauna increase their activity—reminds us of the beauty of the northwest. Beautiful Kiana Lodge will again be the site of Great Peninsula Conservancy’s annual spring fundraising dinner on May 2nd, featuring guest speaker Guido Rahr, a salmon…
Behind the Scenes with Erik, GPC’s Stewardship Manager
At Great Peninsula Conservancy we talk a lot about conservation projects at the time we acquire them, but what happens to these properties in the years that follow? And what does it mean to protect them forever? Stewardship is at the heart of this mission. I sat down with Erik Pedersen, our Stewardship Manager extraordinaire,…
Saving a Shoreline on a Timeline
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— For friends of the Reetz family: All gifts made to Great Peninsula Conservancy in memory of Bill Reetz will go directly to the Camp Hahobas campaign. The Reetz family has a very special connection to this land and the former Boy Scout camp. Simply add “in memory of Bill Reetz” to your check memo line…
Cohoe Beach: An Amazing Gift from the De Bruyn Family
Dave De Bruyn has kayaked by Cohoe Beach many times from his nearby home north of Kingston. Each time, he was amazed to find such a pristine stretch of shoreline on busy Puget Sound. When he learned Great Peninsula Conservancy had an opportunity to purchase Cohoe Beach, he knew he wanted to be part of…
A Legacy for George and Tayeko Durham
Returning coho, winter steelhead, and cutthroat make their way past the Indianola spit into Miller Bay and reach the Suquamish Tribe’s Grovers Creek Salmon Hatchery where Miller Bay Road meets Indianola Road. The staff manually passes the wild, sea-running fish over the hatchery dam so they can spawn upstream. The fish swim up Grovers Creek,…
October Stewardship Photo Essay
A huge thanks to the 50 or so volunteers who came out to the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park waterfront on a very foggy October morning. Many thanks to REI for sponsoring the event and Kitsap County Parks, North Kitsap Trails Association, and Great Peninsula Conservancy staff for coordinating and bringing their tools and expertise.…
GPC-REI National Public Lands Stewardship Day
Great Peninsula Conservancy was excited to partner with REI again this year to host this National Public Lands Day Stewardship Event. This took place on the Peninsula’s new 3,500-acre piece of public land – Kitsap County’s Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park! Great Peninsula Conservancy, REI, Kitsap County Parks, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, North Kitsap Trails…
Powerful Partnership Video with Puget Sound Energy
GPC is working with Puget Sound Energy and their Powerful Partnership Program to help involve more people in conservation. Check out the video below to hear Executive Director Sandra Staples-Bortner discuss our partnership at the beautiful new Curley Creek Tyner Preserve! We toured the creek at the end of August as part of our Walks &…
Growing in Nature
This summer Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) piloted a new program called Bremerton Urban Roots, which created opportunities for young people in Bremerton to learn about the environment through hands-on service projects and outdoor environmental experiences. GPC partnered with the New Life Community Development Agency’s Living Life Leadership youth mentorship program, run by the incredible Karen…